Knockdown enlarging-camera.



H. BURKE & w. A. PETERS. KNOCKDOWN ENLARGING CAMERA.

' APPLIOATION I'ILBD JUNE 12, 1911.

Patented Au 27, 1912.

a sums-sum 1. I

H. BURKE & W. A. PETERS, KNOOKDOWN' ENLARGING CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1911. 557

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

H. BURKE 6; W, A. PETERS. KNOGKDOWN ENLARGING CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12. 1911.

Patented Aug". 27, 1912.

'3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

HENRY BURKE AIVD WILLIAM A. PETERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

KNOCKDOWN ENLARGING-CAMERA.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

Application filed June 12, 1911. Serial No. 632,799.

others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention has for its object to provide a collapsible enlargingcamera, and consists in the features construction and combinations ofparts hereinafter fully ,described and claimed.

In the accompany-ing drawingsillustrating the invention: Figure 1 is atop plan view of the camera in its collapsed posi tion. Fig. 2- is aside elevation of the same. Fig. 8 is a central vertical longitudinalsection of the same in its assembled position. Fig. +l is a verticaltransverse section of the same on the line 4-& of Fig.

1'. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail section showing the joint between theparts of the top wall of the camera. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detailvertical section showin the means em loyed for locking the parts of thetop wa front wall'thereof. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail horizontalsection on the line 7-7 of Fig. -3. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the cameraready for use. Fig.

9- is a detail view in elevation showing means for operating theplate-engaging de vice employed inv one direction. Figs. 1.0-- and -11'are detail vertical sectional views on the line 10-10 of Fig. -9-

40 and showing the parts in respectively different positions.

Our invention has for its particular object to provide a simple andefficient enlarging camera which can be readily collapsed between theintervals of use so as to occupy very little space thus not onlyrendering it convenient for amateur and professional use but renderingit more convenient to pack and ship the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple and efiicientmeans for engaging the plate to hold the same in position front oftheglass on the frontwall of in the camera.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lens tube whichis adjustably l of the camera with the mounted in the partition wallbetween the front and rear walls of the camera whereby the focus can beaccurately adjusted so as to produce accurate results.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription.

The camera-comprises a bottom wall 1 of wood or other suitable material,the latter being provided along its side edges with reinforcing ribs 2.Hinged to the rear edge of said bottom 1 is the rectangular rear wall 3of the camera, the latter being rabbeted peripherally to provide agroove 4 whereby a light-proof joint is formed between the same and thebottom and the several other walls of the camera. The front wall 5 issimilarly hinged to said bottom wall at the other end thereof, and saidfront wall is similarly peripherally rabbeted to provide a groove 6 bymeans of which li t-proof joints are ormed between said ront wall andthe other walls of the camera. In rabbeting said front and rear walls,as described, the groove cut b the saw in the peripheral edge of the walis rendered deeper than necessary so as to provide a peripheral groove 7in the bottom of each of said rabbets into which rays of light passthrough the joint between the ends of the bottom, top and sidewalls ofthe camera and the opposing walls of the rabbets 4 and (3 are projected,thus preventing reflection of any of said rays into the camera in anobvious manner. Hinged to said bottom wall 1 between the ends thereof isa partition wall 8 in the center of which there is mounted an internallythreaded sleeve 9 in which the tube 10 is anounted, the latter beingprovided with a flange 10 at one end which bears upon the annular flangeof the sleeve 9 to limit the movement of the tube 10 in one direction.\Vithin said tube 10, the lens tube 10 is adjustably mounted. The lens11 mounted in said tube 10 bears upon an annular flange 12- of thelatter and is held in engagement with said flange by means of a .tube'13- loosely fitting within the tube 10 and which is held in lace bymeans of the ring 141- and plate 14- iaving the central aperture 14, asclearly indicated in Fig. 7. The said front and rear walls 5 and 3 ofthe camera are adapted to swing inwardly so that when the camera isfolded the former will rest upon the upper said partition wall 8 beingadapted to be swung in the same direction as the front face of thebottom 1, the

' portion of the other side Wall 18. The latter is similarly hinged tothe other side edge of the bottom wall. The section 16 of said top Wallis provided on its free edge and on its opposite faces with parallelstrips 19 which project beyond the free edge thereof to form a groove 20bet-ween the opposed projecting portions thereof in which the free edgeof the section 17 is adapted to be received to' form a light-proof jointbetween said members. tJ-shaped metallic bands 21 are moimted upon thesaid strips 19 at respectively opposite ends thereof and pass over the,ends of said strips and the con tiguous ends of the section 16 of thetop wall, being secured by means of rivets 22 or in any other suitablemanner, the said U- shaped bands 21 serving to reinforce the endportions of said strips 19 and being provided further with perforationsin which the pins 23 carried by the front and rear walls of the cameraare adapted to be received; said pins projecting from the horizontalwalls of the rabloets 4 and'6. Mounted upon the upper edges of saidfront and rear walls of the camera are two latch members 2t' which areadapted to be turned on their pivots 25 to engage the said'loands 21 andhold the latter in engagement with the pins 23. The lower of said strips19 is provided between its ends with a recess or cutaway portion 26 intowhich the upper edge portion of the partition wall 8 is adapted to ,besprung thus holding said partition wall 8 parallel with the front andrear walls of the camera when the latter is positioned ready for use.Mounted upon the strips 19 between the ends thereof is a pin 27 which isadapted to be engaged by the latch memher 28 pivotallymounted upon thesection 17 of the top wall to hold the latter firmly in engagement withsaid section 16.

Suitable means, such for exampleas the ivoted braces 29, are providedfor maintainmg the front and rearwal-ls of the camera in a verticalposition'relatively to the bottom wall 1 when setting up the camerapreparatory for use; said braces 29 being pivotally secured at one endto the respective front and rear Walls of the camera and being adaptedat their free ends to enter recesses in the'bottom wall 1 adapted'toreceive the same. It will be obvious, of

course, that after the sidewalls and top turned.

walls have been positioned to complete the setting up of the camera saidfront and rear walls of the latter will be held in place thereby withoutthe aid of said braces 29.

In the front wall 5 of the camera is a rectangular opening 30which iscovered by a pane -31 of clear glass against which the film side of theplate 32 is adapted to be pressed and held while making enlarged printsfrom said plate. It is obviously desirable in making such enlargedprints to position the plate 32 relatively to the lens so as to bringout upon the enlarged print and in the middle that particular portionof'the picture which it may be desired to. reproduce accurately to theexclusion probably of a part of the contents of the plate 32. Toaccomplish this itmay be necessary for producing the best results, todispose said plate 32 angular-1y or move the same laterally orvertically or slightly both ways so as to bring that portion of thepicture particularly desired to be reproduced in proper position forreproduction. To this end we provide means adjustably mounted on thefront wall for the purpose of engaging the lower edge portion'of theplate; said means being particularly illustrated in Figs. -9 to 11inclusive. In the outer edges of the front wall 5 are longitudinalgrooves 33, best shown in Fig. 2. In these grooves the U-shaped flatsprings 34 carried upon the arms 35 of a bar 36 are received; one arm 37of each of said springs being free and serving to normally engage theinner face of said bar 36 with the front face of the front wall 5 of thecamera. Said inner face of said bar 36 is provided with a longitudinalgroove 38 which is enlarged at a pinrality of points 39. In this groove38 lies a wire 4-0 which is provided at a plurality of points betweenits ends with off-set portions 41 which are received in the enlargedportions 39 of the groove 38; said wire being pivotally mounted in saidarms 35 at the ends of the bar 36; one end of said wire being bent toform a crank 42 thereon by means of which it is The said Wit-e40 whenturned 'on its longitudinal axis serves to throw the elf-set portions 41thereof into engagement with the outer face of the front wall 5 of thecamera and force the inner face of the bar 36 outwardly therefromagainst the action of the arms 37 of said springs 34 thus providing anopen space between the in- ,i ner face of said bar and the outer face ofthe wall 5 to receive the edge portion of the plate 32 and after saidplate has been inserted into said space and releasing the crank 42 thearms 37 of the springs will compress the said bar against the edgeportion of the plate 32 thus clamping the same in position and holdingit. livotally secured to the upper end portion of the outer ing ayielding or flat spring arm 43. which is adapted to be turned to engagethe upper camera.-

end portion of the plate 32 and counts with the bar 36 to hold saidplate 32 in position. Exposed portions of the pane 31 are cov; ered bymeans of an opaque mat in the usual manner so as to exclude direct lightfrom the camera. The said bar 36 is verti cally adjustable on the frontwall of the camera and the grooves in which the springs 34 are containedbeing made 'sufiiciently deep to permit the bar 36 to be tilted out" ofparallelism with the upper and lower edges of the front wall. In therear wall 3 of thecamera a pane 44 of clear glass is similarly mountedto cover the rectangular opening 45. The said pane H: is disposedbetween the planes of the front and rear faces of the rear wall 3 "andagainst this pane 44 the bromid or other sensitized paper is adapted tobe compressed thus holding the same in a focal plane of the Mounted insaid rear wall 3 is a. hinge plate 46 which serves to compress thesensitized paper against said pane 44 to hold the latter in position andfurther to exclude the light from the rear-thereof said plate beingmaintained in its closed position by means of a latch 47 of any suitableconstruction.

The operation of our said camera is sub stantially the same as that ofsimilar apparatus commonly used. It possesses advantages over theordinary enlarging camera in that it is collapsible and further becauseby reasoh of this all parts of the apparatus are easily accessible.Thus, for example, when first setting up this camera prepara tory tomaking an enlarged plate it becomes necessary, usually, to adjust theposition of the lens so as to focus the picture upon the plane of therear face of the pane 44. To accomplish this the sidewall 18 and section17 of the top wall are not brought up to closed position but that sideof the camera is left open. By now covering the camera with a blackcloth the operator may test the focus in the usual manner by placingground glass or sheet of tissue paper in a focal plane and upon whichthe picture contained in negative on the plate 32 is projected. He maynow reach in with his right and and by turning the lens tube 10 in e l"3 direction vary the position of the lens i til all of the lines of thepicture defined in a focal plane. Having this he proceeds to operate the-ie usual manner using either artificial li ht as desired. amera is cilapsed preparatory r for other disposition between ,of use the side wall18 and ofthe top wall are first released so. back so that the outer faceof the camera i dayligh l Vhen L to sliipine the inter section and turwal side wall 18 is parallel with the bottom plate 1 and the saidsection 17 of the top wall contacts on its outer face .with the outerface of said sidewall 18 and lies between the latter and said bottomwall 1. The section 16 of the top'wall and the side wall 15 are thensimilarly turned back so that the outer face of the side wall 15overlaps the side wall '18; the section 16 of said side wall '15 beingfolded back upon the side wall 15 so as to lie between the latter andthe side wall 18. The front and rear walls 3 and 5 and the partitionWall 8 are at the same time turned down as previously described. Thusthe entire device is made to occupy very little space. The front wallis, as, usual of less area than the rear wall, andi therefore, thebottom, side and top narrower at their forward ends than at theirrearward ends, as will be obvious.

We claim as our invention:

1.- An enlar ing camera comprising a bottom plate, on plates hingedthereto at the ends thereof, a lens carrying plate hinged theretobetween the ends thereof, all of said last-named plates adapted to beturned to lie upon the upper face of said bottom plate, side plateshinged to the side edges of the bottom plate and adapted to fold underneath the latter, a top wall consisting of two sections hinged to thefree edges of the side plates, and means for engagingsaid sections ofsaid topwall with each other and with the end lates and lens carrierwhen the latter are in their upright positionswhereby all of saidrespective walls are maintained in position to form a box.

2. An enlarging camera comprising a bottom plate, end plates havingrabbeted edges hinged thereto atthe ends thereof, a lens carrying platehinged thereto between the ends thereof, all of said'last-named platesadapted to be turned to lie upon the upper face of said bottom plate,side plates hinged to the side edges of the bottom plate and adapted tofold underneath the latter, a top wall consisting of two sections hingedto the free edges of the side plates, said side and top walls adapted torest at their ends in the rabbets of said end plates, and means forengaging the sections of said top wall with each other and with said endplates, whereby the latter and said side Walls are maintained inposition to form a box, one of said sections of said top wall provided sof the camera are tapered so as to be with means for engaging said lenscarrying j plate-to hold the latter in its upright position.

A knockdown camera comprising a tapered box having a bottom wall, sideWalls and a top wall, said walls having hinged connections with eachother, end walls hinged to said hottom wall at the ends thereof, a lenscarrying wall hinged to said hotbeing rabbets in said end walls adaptedto receive the ends of the side and top. walls,

and means for removably engaging the top wall with said end wallswhereby the former and the side are held against movement relatively tothe end walls and vice versa, said end walls adapted to swing inwardlywhen the device is knocked down, said top wall provided with means forengaging said lenscarrying wall therewith to hold the same i in uprightposition.

4:. A knockdown camera comprising a tapered boX having a bottom wall,side walls and a top wall, said! walls having hinged connections witheach other, end walls hinged to said bottom wall at the ends thereof, alens carrying wall hinged to said bottom wall between the ends thereof,therevbeing rabbets in said end walls adapted to receive-the ends of theside and top walls, and manually operable locking means for removablyengaging the top wall with said end walls whereby the former andthesideare held against movement relatively to the end. walls and viceversa, said end'walls adapted to swing inwardly when the device isknocked down,said top wall provided with means for engaging saidlens-carrying wall therewith to hold the same in upright position.

5..A knockdown camera comprising a tapered box having a bottom wall,side walls hinged thereto, a top wall consisting of two sections eachhinged to one of said side walls, the free edge of one section of saidtop wall provided with a groove for receiving the free edge of the othersection, end walls hinged to said bottom wall at the ends thereof, alens carrying wall hinged to said bottom wall between the ends thereof,there beingrabbets in said end walls adapted to receive the ends of theside and top walls, locking means carried by said end walls for engagingone section of said to wall therewith, and a latch for engaging t eother section of said top wall with the section engaged by said lockingmeans, whereby the side and end walls are held against movementrelatively to each other and to the bottom wall, said end walls adaptedto swing inwardly when the device is knocked down, said top wallprovided with means for engaging said lens-carrying wall therewith tohold the same in upright position.

6. A knockdown enlarging camera comprising a bottom wall, side and endwalls and a lens-carrying wall hinged to said bottom'wall, said sidewalls adapted to be swung to pppose the under face of said bottom walland said end walls and lens-carrying wall to be swung to rest upon theupper face of said bottom wall when said camera is collapsed, said endwalls provided with rabbets to receive the ends of the side walls andthe top wall, said top wall composed of two sections hinged to the freeends of the respective side walls, and one of the same provided with agroove in its free edge to receive the free edge of the other and havingperforations, there being a recess in thelower face of one of saidsections of said top wall to receive the upper edge of the lens-carryingwall to hold the same parallel with the end walls when the camera is setup for operation, pins on the end walls adapted to enter the saidperforations in one of said sections of said top wall, latches forholding the latter in engagement with said pins, and a latch forengaging said other section of said top wall with the sect-ion engagedby said pins.

,7. ltn a knockdown camera, end walls having rabbets in their edges,side walls and a top wall adapted to be received at their ends in saidrabbets of said end walls, there being continuous grooves in the wallsof said rabbets opposing. the inner faces ofv the side and top Walls andin the planes of the ends of the latter and into which light rayspassing between the ends of'said side and top walls and the opposingwalls of the rabbets'may be projected.

8.- In a device of the kind specified, a front wall having an openingcovered with a transparent material, said front Wall equipped with guidegrooves in its side edges, a member for clamping negatives in contactwith said transparent material com prising a bar provided at its endswith projections, U-shaped flat springs each secured .at the free end ofone of its arms to the free end of one of said projections, said springsadapted to enter and engage said guide grooves; there being a groove inthe face of said bar opposing said front wall, a shaft provided withlateral projections mounted in said last groove, anda crank arm at oneend of said shaft, said springs serving to hold the grooved face of saidbar in contact with the outer face of said front wall, .and said shaft.when turned adapted to throw said bar outwardly from the front face ofsaid front wall against the action of said springs.

9. In an apparatus of the kind specified, a transparent front wallprovided in its side edges with grooves, a bar spanning the face of saidwall, projections at the ends of said bar, and fiat springs secured tosaid projections and engaging in said grooves and longitudinally movabletherein, said springs coacting'with the front walls of said grooves tohold said bar vieldingly in contact with the face of said front wall,whereby a negative to be reproduced may be yieldingly clamped betweensaid bar and said wall.

10. In an apparatus of the kind specified, a transparent front wallprovided in its side eases? edges with grooves, a the face of said wall,projections at the ends of said bar, fiat springs secured to saidprojections and engaging in said grooves and longitudinall movabletherein, said springs coacting with the front walls of said grooves tohold said hair yieldingly in contact with the face of said front Wail,whereby a negative to he reproduced he yi'eldingly clamped between saidbar and said wall, and a manually opei is member carried by said ha: :1adapted to en age face of said wa agcd by said bar to move the latterirdly the action of said springs 11. in an e kind specified, a tran ontw vided its side edges weves, anning the face of said v i, rojec" the esaid har, an iaped fiat springs e2 secured at one e one its arms thesaid projections of said and engaging in said grooves and adapted tohoid said har yieldingly in contact with the front of said Wall.

12. In an apparatus of the kind specified, a transparent front wallprovided in its side edges with grooves, a bar spanning the face of saidwall, projections at the ends of said bar, and U-shaped fiat springseach secured at one end of one of its arms to the said projections ofsaid bar, the other arm of each of said springs bearing upon the frontwall of its groove, and adapted to hold said bar yieldingly in contactwith the front face of said Wall.

13. In an apparatus of the kind specified, a transparent front Wallprovided in its side edges with rooves, a bar spanning the face of saidwalfi projections at the ends of said bar, U-shaped flat springs eachsecured at one end of one of its arms to the said projections of saidbar, and engaging in said grooves and adapted to hold said baryieldingly in contact with the frontface of said wall, said rooves beingof greater depth than the width of said springs to permit said bar to betilted.

14. In an apparatus of the kind specified, a transparent front Wallprovided in its side edges with grooves, a bar spanning the face of saidwait, projections the ends of said bar, U-shaped fiat springs eachsecured at one end of one of its arms to the said projections of saidbar engaging in said grooves and adapted to hold said bar yieldinoly incontactwith the front face of said wall, and annally operable membercartried by sai ear and "ed to engage the face of saio. by said bar toinst the action er of said In apparatus or fied, a transp' rent i sideedges with grooves, ba spanning the face of said wall, projections atthe ends of said bar, iii-shaped flat springs each secured at one end orone of its arms to the said projections of said bar, the other arm ofeach of said springs bearing upon the front wall of its groove, andadapted to hold said bar yieldingly in contact with the front face ofsaid wall, said grooves being of greater depth than the width of saidsprings to permit said bar to be tilted, and a manually operable membercarried by said bar and adapted to engage the face of said Wall engagedby said bar to move the latter outwardly against the action of saidsprmgs.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

HENRY BURKE. WILLIAM A. PETERS.

Witnesses:

M. A. BARTEAUX, K. M. K NNEDY.

